Operators Of Girls Prison Get A Warning

Despite Advances, State Agency Wants Fixes To Program.

The state Department of Juvenile Justice this week warned the private company that runs the state's maximum-security prison for girls: Fix your treatment program or lose your contract.

Sound familiar? That may be because just last year, the Florida Institute for Girls' former provider, which had managed the facility for four years, gave up its contract after the state threatened to yank it for continually failing to control violence and keep the girls and the guards safe.

But that appears to be where the similarities end.

Despite a few hitches, including an escape attempt by two girls in March, Lighthouse Care Centers -- which took over in May 2004 -- has done a good job regaining control over the program, said Darryl Olson, Juvenile Justice's regional director for residential and correctional services. But after a year of trying, it still has not met the severely disturbed girls' therapeutic needs.

And while Lighthouse struggles to provide intense counseling to the facility's emotionally disturbed and mentally ill girls, it continues to lose vital staff. This week, the prison's executive director told her employees she's resigning. Then on Wednesday, two high-ranking staff in the mental health unit walked out of the facility located west of West Palm Beach.

"It's been their biggest problem," Olson said of the therapeutic services. "We are at a point now if they don't correct this we could take formal contract action."

Under Lighthouse's $21 million, five-year contract with the state, one treatment coordinator -- who must provide both therapeutic and case management services -- can only treat eight girls. Olson said Lighthouse has never been able to meet that ratio.

"I think we lost candidates for those positions before they even got in the front door because they didn't want to do the case-management function," he said.

In anticipation of a written warning from Juvenile Justice, Lighthouse this week asked for the state's approval to change how it provides therapy and case management to the 64 girls at the prison, Schneider said. It will hire five more employees and split the role of therapist and case manager. While that may cost more on the front end, Schneider said he hopes it will cut the cost of turnover and training because the therapists and case managers should be happier with their new, clarified roles.

Olson said he's comfortable with the plan, but noted the state will only pay for services under the 1-to-8 ratio agreed to in the contract. Until Lighthouse ramps up its therapeutic and case management staff, it will only be paid for treating 48 girls instead of all 64 on site.

"Nobody is suggesting DJJ is overpaying us for services there, that's for sure," Schneider said. "But I think it will work."

Meanwhile this week, Christine Tappan, the prison's executive director, resigned. Tappan will stay on through the transition to the new treatment program and leave her management role at the prison sometime in June.

She cited personal reasons for her departure, Schneider said, adding she will remain on in some capacity with Lighthouse.

Tappan could not be reached for comment after a message was left at her office Thursday.

Also this week, the prison's clinical director and senior treatment coordinator quit without notice.

The clinical director declined to comment. But the senior treatment coordinator said she left because of intense stress put on the mental health services team during the past few months.

"I was extremely concerned about the quality of services that were being given to the girls," said Martha Hargrave, who had worked at the facility since July 2003 and has a master's degree in counseling as well as 10 years of experience. "I felt I had been pushed way past my limit and my own capabilities were deteriorating as a result.

"There was no end in site."

Hargrave said turnover among mental health staff was a major problem and some were "in over their heads." Many of the girls at the facility have been victims of sexual as well as physical and emotional abuse. Some are sexual offenders and others suffer from depression, bipolar disorder and other serious mental illnesses.

"... That was the one thing that was most important to me, what was going on with the girls," Hargrave said. "It just felt wrong to me to give them anything less than what they deserved."

Since opening the facility in 2000 under Premier Behavioral Solutions, Florida Institute for Girls had been plagued with hundreds of allegations of physical abuse, sexual misbehavior and poor supervision. Two employees pleaded guilty to criminal sexual misconduct with three girls. Girls had been arrested numerous times for assaulting staff and other girls. And four girls suffered broken arms while being physically restrained.